From Fruits to Fire
by JezaBelle7
Summary: Clarissa, an Amity girl, faces dangers because of her aptitude for three factions from the beginning. Knowing little about the Divergent, she is frightened by her test results. Out of fear of her own life, Clarissa chooses Dauntless in hopes that they will teach her how to fight. She very well knows that she will need it later.
1. The Test

**A/N: Hello, Divergent fans! This is my first whack at a Divergent story, so I hope that you all enjoy it! If you have any suggestions for plot twists or characters for the story, feel free to comment and I might just add them in! Enjoy! :)**

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own or am affiliated in any way with the Insurgent series or Veronica Roth.**

Sunlight peeks through the branches of the apple tree, shining a bright light on my face and causing me to squint as I examine the ripe red apples hanging from it's limbs. I climbed up here this morning to calm my nerves, as I have done before, but today is different. Today, the beginning of the rest of my life will start. Today is the day of the Aptitude Test.

"Clarissa!"

I drop down to the ground as I hear my sister call my name. Before me is the apple orchard, one of the signature features of the Amity compound. My sister Natalie runs toward me. She wears a bright yellow sundress that compliments her olive skin and dark brown hair.

She sighs with relief. "There you are."

"Yes, here I am." I say.

"You're going to be late to school."

I nod and follow her to the dirt road on which the truck awaits. My red dress sways as I walk on the windless summer day. Before I load onto the truck that will carry me to school along with fruits and vegetables, I turn to my sister.

"It's going to be fine." she says as she strokes my long brown hair, "I will be here waiting for you when you return."

I look into her eyes and find a reassuring look in them. I'm not quite sure if I believe it, though. "Okay."

We embrace for a quick moment, and I hop onto the truck, wondering what fate will await me when I arrive.

The cafeteria is almost silent, except for a few murmurs. We are all numb with our impending fates as names are called. Finally, I hear mine.

"Clarissa Gold!"

I walk towards the woman who called my name. She is quite tall, fairly slim, and has her blond hair pulled back in a severe bun behind her thin glasses. The woman looks vaguely familiar to me, but I can't place where I've seen her before. She leads me to a circular hallway with many doors that spread before me. We enter the one to the far left.

"Hello." she says, "My name is Jeanine Matthews, and I will be running your test for you today."

The name rings a bell and then I realize- "You're the Erudite leader."

"Yes."

"Why are you testing me?"

"That is information that is unimportant to you."

She guides me to a grey dentists chair in the middle of the room with a machine hooked up to it. I sit down as she begins attaching wires to my forehead, and then to her own. She does this silently, but it feels as if the room is as loud as a thunderstorm. Finally, she gives me a vile of clear liquid that looks almost like water.

"Drink this." she instructs.

I follow her instructions and the world dissolves around me.

I am standing in the school cafeteria, but there are no tables except for two small ones in front that hold a knife one one, and cheese on the other.

"Choose."

It is the voice of Jeanine, the woman who is testing me. I look at both items carefully and pick up the cheese. After all, why would I want to carry a knife? Just then, a big dog enters the room. It's fur is shaggy, and its pointed teeth are bared. It looks like it's ready to attack. In fear of my own life, I drop the cheese and launch myself at the dog, putting my bare hands around it's neck and squeezing as hard as I can until the dog drops to the ground.

The scene dissolves and now I am sitting on a bus. I see a man holding a newspaper with a headline describing a murderer on the loose. He lowers the paper, revealing his long face. He leans over to me.

"Do you know this man?" he asks, pointing to the picture below the headline.

I study the picture. The man's face looks familiar, but I'm not sure where I know him from. I decide to answer truthfully, afraid of the consequences if I don't.

"Yes, I think so." I reply.

"Thank you for your honesty." he says.

I open my eyes to find myself back inside the testing room. I look down only to see the barrel of a gun pressed against my heart.


	2. The Choice

**A/N: Thank you to everyone who is reading my story! I will try to post a new chapter daily if I can. So, here's chapter two! **

My heart starts beating at the speed of light, it seems. I can't take my eyes off of the weapon that now threatens my life. My mind goes numb and I think of nothing. Only my eyes seem to be functioning. When I seem to look past the gun, I see the person holding it-Jeanine. It feels as if at that moment that pure adrenaline is pumping through my veins instead of blood, spreading to every part of my body.

"Well, then." Jeanine says, "Looks like you have some _very _interesting test results."

I try to speak, but only a groan escapes my mouth.

"I might as well tell you, because you're going to die in a few minutes anyway. You had an aptitude for _three _different factions; Amity, Candor, and Dauntless. Can you tell me what that means?"

She speaks as if she were my teacher. I rack my brain for the answer, but come up with nothing. The thought terrifies me-_three _factions? Does that mean that I will be factionless? Jeanine speaks after I don't respond.

"That means you're _Divergent_. A very powerful one, actually."

She pushes the gun closer to my chest. I remember my mother telling me stories about the Divergent, but I thought that they were only a myth. She told me that the Divergent were dangerous people with special brain powers. I now understand why Jeanine wants to kill me, and why everyone else will too. Could I really be _dangerous_? I push that though to the back of my mind.

"So I think you understand now why I must kill you now." she says coldly.

I hear a click as the puts the bullet into the chamber. Her index finger hovers over the trigger. I lift my legs and kick Jeanine in the stomach as hard as I can. She falls to the floor as the gun fires, but she misses her target. The bullet hits the ceiling, causing dust to fall. I jump out of the chair and sprint for the door, but she grabs my leg, causing me to lose my balance. I fall down hard, hitting the simulation machine which gives me a large gash in my forehead and a cut lip. Jeanine craws toward me to finish me off, no doubt, but as soon as her face comes into view, I ball my hand up into a fist and punch her in the face. This knocks her out, and I run out of the room towards safety.

That night, I sit in my room to think about what choice I will make at the Choosing Ceremony the next morning. Thoughts skim through my head so quickly that I have to manually slow them down to make them as simple as possible.

I got three results in the aptitude test. Amity, Candor, and Dauntless. That means that I am Divergent. I am dangerous. I will be killed on the spot if anyone finds out. I will have to fight for my life a lot, then. How can I ever survive if I have been raised to be so peaceful?

As soon as I sort out my thoughts, I find the answer. I crawl into my wooden bed and try to sleep, but none comes. I just lay there, going over my thoughts again and again in my head, making sure my decision is right.

This year, it is the Abnegation's turn to host the Choosing Ceremony. One of the Abnegation leaders stands on the platform along with the five bowls that represent our fate. Grey stones for Abnegation. Grass for Amity. Water for Erudite. Glass for Candor. Fire for Dauntless. The man finally calls my name.

"Clarissa Gold!"

I walk to the platform almost timidly. Is this the right choice? I look to my family for reassurance. They smile at me encouragingly. When I reach the platform, the Abnegation leader hands me a knife. I press the blade to my palm, cutting almost too deeply into it. The dark read liquid pools in my palm, and I step toward the bowls.

There is only one faction that will teach me how to fight for myself. It will teach me how to survive when I face an opponent trying to murder me. One faction will ensure my life and my safety.

I step forward, stretch my palm out, and spill my blood onto the burning coals. The coals hiss, almost like they are responding to my choice. I hope that it is the right one.


	3. Freedom

**A/N: Hello, all! After this chapter, I will be taking suggestions for characters, plot twists, and events! So, comment your suggestion below and I will put the best ideas into the next chapter! Enjoy and good luck! :)**

A dull murmur sweeps through the Amity section. I was known as a true and pure Amity, but now I've betrayed them. A pit drops into my stomach as I realize that I will never see my family again. I will never go back to the compound, never walk through the orchards, never sleep in my soft wooden bed again. Am I a true Amity? Yes. Am I Dauntless? I hate to admit it, but no. My choice was for my own good. Hopefully, Dauntless will teach me how to be a fighter, and how to survive. I needed to choose Dauntless, or I would be killed instantly if anyone found out what I am.

I step off of the platform and stand behind the Dauntless section with the other initiates. After what seems like forever, the ceremony ends. All around me, the other dauntless break out into a run. I follow. It feels good to be free, to not have to worry about what keeps peace. It feels good to be loud. I can't help but yell along with the other Dauntless as we sprint down the stairs.

When we burst through the door and into the fading daylight, I hear a train's whistle. The train approaches, blinding me with it's headlight, and the other Dauntless start jumping on.

_I am one of them now._

I sprint to keep up with the train and grab one of the handles on the side of the train. I dangle there for a minute until I'm finally pulled into the car by a Dauntless initiate. She has dark skin and short brown hair. I can't help but think of my sister.

I say, "Thank you." and quietly crawl to the center of the car, where I will be safest.

I sit in silence until one of the initiates taps me on the shoulder. Her hair is short, blonde, and extremely curly. I wonder why she choose Dauntless, because she is very petite.

"Hello." she says. She has a kind, but firm voice. "My name is Katie."

"Clarissa." I reply.

"Amity?" she points to my short-sleeve yellow dress.

"Yeah. Erudite?" I point to her blue skirt and top.

"Yes."

We sit there for a while, silent, remembering what our lives used to be like. Will absolutely everything change? As the Dauntless start to jump off of the train and onto a roof, the answer is obvious.

"They're jumping off!" shouts Katie.

"What do we do?"

"Jump."

I look down. We are seven stories up, and everyone is jumping onto a roof that is a good three feet away. What if I fall to the pavement? I decide that it is worth the risk, steady myself, bend my knees, and jump.

I land on my knees and marvel at the thought that I made it. I stand up and brush the gravel off of my knees. One of our instructors introduces himself and tells us that we will have to jump to continue initiation. I look down at the hole in the ground that he mentions. It seems bottomless. We all stand there for a minute, when finally an Abnegation girl with blonde hair takes off her jacket and plunges into the hole. When she disappears into the hole, I can't help but feel uncertain. Is she ok? Is she dead?

Before I know it, I walk towards the edge of the rooftop and jump. The sensation of falling feels strange, like I'm flying. The wind presses against my back, almost like it wants me to be safe. I watch as the ground comes closer and closer to me, and when I reach it, I find myself consumed by darkness.

Out of nowhere, something catches me and cradles my body. I look down. It's a net. I almost can't see under here despite the few glowing lights. I find a platform at the edge of the net and crawl to it. There, a guy who looks a little older than me helps me up. His blue eyes pop in the sea of darkness.

"Welcome to Dauntless." he says.


End file.
